


Hopeless Hands

by SansFangirl4life



Category: Handplates - Fandom, Undertale
Genre: Brothers cannot understand her at first, Crossoverish?, Gaster is an asster, Gaster is an asster!, Gen, Handplates, Handplates Papyrus - Freeform, Handplates Sans - Freeform, Hope can understand wing dings, Hope/LostTale - Freeform, Lotsa not so nice things here people, Some humor here and there, Torture, dark themes, has trouble speaking it, it WILL have a happy ending!, seriously
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-03-22 15:05:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13766688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SansFangirl4life/pseuds/SansFangirl4life
Summary: When Hope, a young girl from another timeline winds up in the Underground of another, she didn't know what to expect. When Dr. Gaster finds her, he takes her to his lab and begins his experiments anew with his new subject. The two brothers watch as this new 'creature' enters their short lives, and give them something they had nearly lost: a hope for escape and a future.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love Handplates. It's one of my fave AU's for Undertale. So, to show my love for this wonderful and dark story, I took Hope from my AU LostTale and put her in this world. Please note that there could be spoilers for LostTale, as well as some very horrible things. I am going to try my damned hardest to stick to zarla's portrayel of Gaster and how he would treat this poor little human with a broken soul.
> 
> Read on if you wish :3 I promise it won't all be dark and gloomy!

Chapter 1

 

 

A loud, crashing sound, followed by a blinding light filled the small closet. "Owie....." Red and blue eyes peeked into the dark, blinking. "Sorry Uncle Gaster....I didn't mean to!" A

little girl's voice whispered in the dark closet. "I promise I'll....I'll...." The door creaked open and small hands gripped the door frame, hoisting the girl out of the closet. Hope glanced around anxiously. _This....this isn't his lab...._ She thought, shaking. She stepped out into a  long dimly lit corridor, the tile floor smooth and cold on her bare feet.

 

"Where....am I?" She whispered. She turned around and shut the door quietly and began to wander around, eyes glancing anxiously as she held her hands close to her chest.  
As she wandered, she rubbed her arms for warmth. _Lemme see....I was cleaning Uncle Gaster's lab upstairs....then I went to take the tarp off of the machine!_ She thought, trying to recollect her accident. _Then....then it turned on! It went 'bleep bleep bloop'! And...blew me into the closet!_ She stopped walking. "Wait...Uncle Gaster said that it was an.....an umm....transporter! Yeah! It takes you places! But...but if this isn't home...." She covered her mouth in shock. "Uncle Gaster is so gonna ground me!" 

 

"Who's there?!" Hope jumped and saw a shadow on the wall. Shaking, she turned and ran the opposite direction, coming into a large, open room with a chair in the center. She turned and saw another, covered by a dusty cloth and hid under it. She trembled, covering her mouth as armored footsteps stomped by. "I could have sword I heard someone...."

 

_Please...please go away....._ She thought, curled up and shaking. Once the feet left the room, she crawled out and sighed. I...I wanted to say hi but they sounded so scary...She continued walking. "This place....it reminds me of the....the 'thrown room' Uncle Gaster would tell me about. From the....the Underground. But...."  She knelt down in the large flower garden, touching them gently. "It seems somber and sad...." She picked one of the flowers, sniffing it and giggling. "It smells nice! I wonder if these grow in the woods too...I should ask Sans-" She looked up and froze. Uh....oh.... 

 

A tall, thin skeleton stood at the entrance of the throne room, holding a clipboard and wearing a white lab coat. His one good eye was wide open, both from shock and fear, and Hope stood up slowly, shaking a little. _This....he looks like Uncle Gaster....._ She thought. _But he feels....different. I know this isn't my home but....._ She took an anxious step back. "H....Hi...."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Gaster looked down at his clipboard, sighing and rubbing his forehead. _This is not how I wanted this day to go._ He thought. And I have to go back to the lab in an hour or two as well to make sure they are fed. He groaned as he flipped through his notes on the clipboard. As he continued walking, he stopped when he heard a small, feminine voice. _Hm?_

 

"It smells nice!" He slowly walked forward and his good eye widened, his soul pounding in his ribcage. A small girl was kneeling in the yellow flowers, picking one and standing up.

 

_Impossible.....how did....how did a human get here?!_ He thought. _Good thing the King is not here.....wait._ As she gazed at the flower, he walked further into the room. _This is good. If...If I could...._

 

"I wonder if these grow in the woods too...I should ask Sans-" The girl turned, her red and blue eyes widening in surprise. He watched as her face changed from familiarity, to apprehension.

 

_She seems anxious. Good._ He thought, tasking one step forward, the little girl taking one back. She held one of the flowers in her hand, her fingers anxiously moving along the stem.

 

"H-Hi..." She whispered, her voice light and filled with an anxious energy. "M-My name is Hope. Umm...I...I don't know how I really got here but-"

 

"How did you get in here?" Gaster asked sternly, making her jolt. Not that she can understand-

 

"I...I was cleaning my Uncle's machine and it blew up and.....I came out of the broom closet." She explained shakily. "I-I just....wanna go home...." She tilted her head curiously.

"Are....are you....talking normally or in...in umm....win dins?"

 

"You mean 'Wing Dings'?" Gaster raised a bone brow. Curious. She can understand me. He thought. 

 

"Yes! You see, my Uncle Gaster taught me how to understand Wing Dings! But, I do have trouble 'speaking it' sometimes..." She said, seeming to perk up a little. Hope looked at him with a curious stare. "You...look kinda like my Uncle Gaster-" Gaster gripped her soul tightly with blue magic, making her gasp and struggle slightly. "L-Let go! That hurts!"

 

"Then stay still." He growled out. Hope whimpered but stopped struggling as Gaster walked closer, glancing at her soul. The small heart was torn down the center, looking as if someone literally ripped it apart. _How is she alive? Then again, a human may not need a whole soul to survive...._ He thought. _It is unfortunate that this will not be enough to break the Barrier...._

 

He watched as the small girl remained still in the air, her eyes confused and scared. "You will come with me....and do not make a sound." She only nodded as he walked down the hall quietly, the girl hovering in his blue magic's grip. But how did she get here? There is no way someone would have missed her. She would have had to walk through the entire Underground unnoticed, and that's near impossible. "Human." Hope looked at him, making a soft whimper as he turned to glance at her. "Where exactly did you come from?"

 

"N...Not here." She said quietly. "U-Umm....up above, but not the same up above."

 

_Does she make any sense?_ He groaned as he opened the door to his lab. He could feel her getting more anxious and he yanked on her soul slightly, making her yelp and cough.

 

"Stop fidgeting."

 

"S-Sorry." She trembled regardless as he walked further down. "U-Umm...is this the way home? I wanna go back or my Uncle Gaster will ground me...." Gaster stopped and turned to look at her. "Ple-"

 

"Are you from another timeline? Or an alternate reality?"

 

"Umm....if you mean another place that isn't thins place, yes." She admitted, scratching the back of her head anxiously. "You see, I was cleaning my Uncle's lab when his machine went 'bleep bleep bloop' and-"

 

"I said be quiet."

 

"No, you said-" He squeezed her soul harder and she cried out, coughing.

 

"Do not argue." 

 

"But you said-"

 

"I said be quiet!" He squeezed her soul harder, watching her struggle for a moment before going limp, unconscious. He sighed as he laid her down on a small, metal bed. "Not how I was expecting this day to go at all...."

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hope slowly stirred into consciousness, rubbing her chest. "O-Ow....." She shivered and looked up. She was laying on a cold, tile floor, the room dim save for the glow of three large electric bars in front of her. "Huh? How...did I get here?" She stood slowly, her feet wobbling a little. "Wait...my dress!" She looked at her new attire, a simple, faded green hospital gown that went down to the calf's of her legs. "What happened? Where am I?!"

 

"Ah, you are awake." Hope turned to see the tall a skeleton just outside the bars, looking at his clipboard. "You were unconscious for at least two hours."

 

"Un....huh?"

 

"You were asleep because I put too much pressure on your soul." He began to walk away as Hope ran to the bars, stopping just shy of them.

 

"Wait! I wanna go home!" She called out, holding her hands close to her chest. The skeleton stopped and turned to her and she felt frozen in place. He....he's scary.....

 

"You do not truly seem to understand your situation." He said and walked back, leering at her from the other side. "I have no intention of sending you home. Nor do I know where you are even from. But I intend to get as much out of you as possible....you and your soul human." He spat the last word like it was poison, making Hope back up further.

 

"As far as you should be concerned....this is your home now." He  turned and walked down the hall, his footsteps echoing further and further away. 

 

My...my...home? The lights went out and Hope's legs gave out underneath her. She slid against the wall, curling up into a fetal position in the darkness. _No...No...this.....is a bad dream. I wanna go home......_ She began to let out quiet sobs, her body shaking. _It's a bad dream......a really bad dream......_

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

**_Entry Number *redacted*_ **  
**_I have come across a rather interesting find. A human has managed to slip into the Underground by other means other than the hole in the mountain. I do not know how the human came to get here, but I intend to find out. She has a rather peculiar soul. It is red, and there is about 3/4 of it keeping her alive. How can a human live with only this much? Such a mystery this one is._ **  
**_I will keep her separate from the other subjects for now, as I wish for a chance to examine her more thoroughly. I have labelled this human as H-3. IT is not every day a new subject falls into your lap as it were. I have checked her stats at the very least._ **

 

**_Name: Hope_ **

 

**_HP 3/3_ **

 

**_Atk: 0_ **

 

**_Def: 0_ **

 

**_Check Status: Alone in a new place._ **

 

**_More notes to come in the next few days. Things are about to get interesting_ **


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope slowly beginning to realize she's not going home, and the bros get curious about the voice down the hallway.

Chapter 2

 

 

Lights flickered on and Hope squeezed her eyes shut tighter. "Mngh....nnnh...."

 

"Wake up human." Hope slowly opened her eyes and glanced around, shaking. 

 

_Wh...where....._ She rubbed her sleepy eyes as the room came into blurry focus. She could see the scientist across the energy bars and her fatigued mind slowly clears up. _Oh....yeah...I'm not home...._

 

"Are you suddenly deaf human?" 

 

"N-No sir...." She whispered, sitting up slowly, her body sore from the night on the cold floor. "Um...when can I go home?" Gaster turned off the bars and Hope gasped as her soul formed in front of her, blue in shade. "P-Please-"

 

"Follow me." Hope felt herself being forced to her feet and she stumbled behind him, holding her hands against her chest as she moved closer to him. "Tell me again where you are from."

 

"Not here." She said quietly, grabbing his sleeve as she glanced into the darker halls. "I-" Gaster yanked his arm away from her and she whimpered. "M-My Uncle had a machine and-"

 

"You already said this."

 

"It's true though!" She said, stomping her bare foot. "I'm not a liar! Lying is bad!"

 

"Stop shouting." Gaster turned to her and she flinched as her soul was squeezed slightly. He led her into a room with a table and two chairs. "Sit down there." Hope walked over and climbed into the chair, her feet hovering above the floor. He took Hope's arm and rubbed it with a wet cloth, then tied the arm up slightly. He walked away and Hope's eyes wandered the room.

 

_It's so gloomy here....some flowers could perk it up!_ She thought, pulling her hair in front of her and messing with the ends. _My hair needs brushed....but at least he let me keep my bow._ She continued to look around the room with a curious gaze. Papers and white boards were hanging on the walls, a desk nearby that had a few books and writing utensils on it. _He's kinda like Uncle Gaster! Messy stuff everywhere!_

 

"I am impressed that you didn't try to run off." Hope turned to see Gaster walk back to her, a syringe in his hand. 

 

"Well...you told me not to." Hope felt her soul being drawn out and she flinched a little. 

 

"And you do not seem uneasy at the sight of this. Most children do not like shots from what I have read."

 

"Oh I'm used to them! My Uncle says I'm a big girl for not being scared of them!" Hope puffed her chest out proudly. Gaster said nothing as he took the syringe and first drew blood from her arm. She whimpered a little, but otherwise stayed still. "My Uncle gives them when-"

 

"Do you ever stop talking?" Gaster groaned. Hope pouted as he took the syringe and put it in a machine, then walking over with a small plate of food. "Eat." Hope looked down at the plate, tilting her head a little.

 

"Is this magic food?" Hope asked as she looked at the plate. It was a simple sandwich, but the meat looked off to her. _If it is...it doesn't look to good...but..._ She looked up to see Gaster watching her with his arms crossed. _I don't wanna make him mad...._ She picked the sandwich up and took a bite. Her eyes widened as she ate it faster, her growling stomach content as food filled it. 

 

"Hmm..." Gaster wrote things down on his clipboard as he observed her eating messily.

 

"Oh....sorry." Hope noticed him staring and ate slower. "I guess...I didn't realize I was so hungry..." 

 

"It does not bother me."

 

"Oh..." Hope looked down at her hands, now folded in her lap. "Umm...Mr. Gaster? Can...Can I go home?"

 

"Why are you repeating the same question over and over?" Gaster grumbled. "I already told you. This is your home now."

 

"No it isn't! I already-" Gaster gripped her soul harder and she whimpered in pain. 

 

"Stop. Talking." Gaster narrowed his eyes at her and she shivered. He stood up and guided her back to the cell she had been in all night, nearly tossing her back inside. "Now be quiet." He turned the field back on and walked away as Hope ran as close as she could. 

 

"W-Wait! Please!" Gaster stopped and turned his head slightly. "Please...don't...leave me alone here....please." Gaster shook his head and walked away. Hope watched his figure retreat further down the hall and she fell to her knees, curled up and sobbed.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Two figures stirred as they heard soft noises coming from further down the hall. "Hmm?" The taller of the two stirred, laying his brother down carefully. "Hello?" He tried to see further down the hall, but the field blocked his way. "Hel-"

 

"What are you doing?" He jumped a bit as the doctor stood in front of him, arms crossed.

 

"T-There's a noise down the hall...so..." The field was brought down as he laid a plate of food out for the young skeleton and his brother. "Wait....aren't you taking us out today?"

 

"No. As of this moment, something else has my attention." He said and walked out.

 

Something else? Like that noise? He thought as the doctor walked away. He turned as his brother groaned, slowly opening his eyes. "Brother!"

 

"Ngh....hey bro. What's up?"

 

"I heard this odd noise! And I can still hear it!" He walked over, holding the plate and sitting down next to him.

 

"Odd noise?" The smaller asked, taking half of their cut sandwich and eating it. 

 

"Yes, I've never heard it before." He said as the noise was a little louder. "I wonder what it could be." Both brothers scooted closer. "Hey! What are you?!" The noise stopped and he could hear something else instead. "That's weird....hello?"

 

"I can't understand anything it's trying to say." The smaller frowned. He leaned a little further out and he saw something. "There's...something down there. I can see its eyes slightly." Wide, fearful eyes gazed back through a similar field, the left a deep blue and the right was crimson red. "It has weird eyes...two different colors."

 

"You mean it's glowing its eyes?" 

 

"No....otherwise it would reflect off the walls slightly." The smaller allowed his blue eye to glow, and tilted his head when the being further down spoke again. "I don't think it can glow."

 

"So then it isn't a skeleton?"

 

"No...but I have no idea what it is." The being blinked and smiled, then spoke again.

 

"Who....you?" 

 

"Hey, I understood it this time!" The taller skeleton said, sitting next to his brother. "Can it understand us?" The smaller listened as the voice coughed and tried to speak again.

 

"Where......we?"

 

"I don't think it can speak with us very well." He said. "Hey, listen. If you can understand us, then don't talk for now ok? He'll be back soon and if you're not careful he could hurt

you."

 

".....K..." He felt his brother turn to him anxiously just as the voice called out again. "Good......night...."

 

"Brother...did you hear it?"

 

"Yeah....it said 'good night'." He moved away from the cage and frowned. "Whatever it is, it isn't used to being here. It doesn't seem to even know that the lights are on so it isn't time to sleep yet." He sat and finished his sandwich, tilting his head as the doctor came back, gripping his soul slightly. "Hey, I'm not done eating yet!"

 

"Then you wasted your time. Come with me." The smaller skeleton grumbled and followed, arms crossed. 

 

_Then again...this is a good chance to figure out what that is down there..._

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"So, what? Keeping new pets down here now?"

 

"What are you talking about?" Gaster narrowed his eyes as S-1 looked at him with a suspicious gaze.

 

"We both heard it. Not to mention it can talk...somewhat. What is it you have down there?" Gaster sighed as he looked through the books he had on his shelf.

 

"Sometimes you are just as nosey as you are smart." Gaster said. "That could easily put you in harm's way."

 

"Not like I'm not already." He huffed. "Heh, unless you got something else to hide. What is that exactly?" He frowned as the doctor ignored him, pulling a book out and looking at its pages.

 

"Hmm, this should suffice..."

 

"What should suffi-" The book was placed in front of him and he frowned, picking it up to look at it. " 'Battling....Humans?' "

 

"I want you to study what is in this book." S-1 scowled and looked at the cover, his fingers trailing the wing dings on the front of it and looking at the words on the leather spine. "I will test you on it later."

 

"Why? Is what you have down there this..... 'human' thing?" Gaster said nothing as he guided S-1 back to his cell. " I'm right, aren't I?" He was pushed back in and Gaster left.

 

"Fine, geeze." He sat down, crossed his legs and opened the book.

 

"What is that brother?" He turned to see his brother walk over.

 

"A book on humans I guess."

 

"What's a human?"

 

".....Human...." The small voice echoed down the hall and both skeletons moved closer. "Me...."

 

"I think....it's saying that it's human brother." The shorter one nodded and opened the book.

 

_Well....then perhaps reading this will help us out more than him._ He thought and began to read.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

**Entry Number *redacted***

 

**H-3 is rather talkative. I suppose it comes with her age. Her blood shows no signs of illness or allergies either, making her a prime subject. Perhaps I can find a way to shatter the Barrier after all. She also took well to the magic food from earlier, so feeding her should pose little challenge.**

 

**As for the others, she has managed to communicate with them it seems, or at the very least they have heard her. It does not matter. Sooner or later they will see her. Humans are...delicate creatures that require social interaction, and being a child, she will require it more. Perhaps in a few days I will move her to the cell opposite of them and see where this will lead. I have made note of her font, in case this proves necessary.**

 

**Monotype  Corsiva**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like the 'font' I chose for everyone to see Hope's speech in :3 I wish I could get that stuff to work here sometimes, but oh well :3 Hope you liked it!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Hope endures her first real bout of experimentation, and the boys learn what a girl is XD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so very sorry for late updates! Well, to be honest, this story's been updated on my DA a few times since then XD But I still hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 3

 

 

Hope whimpered as she ate the small amount of food she had alone, pushing the empty plate aside. "Food....bland..." She said slowly, calling out to the other voices down the hall.

 

"The food always tastes the same!" The chipper voice said.

 

"Yeah, it isn't exactly the best, there are some days where it isn't too bad." The more sarcastic voice replied. Hope listened and tried to repeat some of their words to herself, trying to speak it in Wing Dings.

 

"Always...the....same?"

 

"Hey, I think they're getting better brother!"

 

"Seems so." She tilted her head as she heard the sound of the book on the wall. 

 

_Question time!_

 

"So....did humans really go to war with monsters?"

 

"....Yes......sad." Hope frowned, dragging her fingers along the floor gently. "Unfair......to monsters...."

 

"Ok. Why are humans stronger than monsters?"

 

"Souls....stronger. Determination." She frowned a little. "Mine.....torn up...."

 

"How is it torn up exactly?" 

 

"Dunno. Just....is." Hope waited patiently but when the book hit the wall again she huffed slightly. "No....questions?"

 

"Nah, I feel like this is a real touchy subject for you." The voice said. "Hey, how come your voice sounds different? We know you're a 'human', not a monster, but you sound...lighter?"

 

"Oh! I....girl!"

 

"Girl? What's-"

 

"Be quiet." Hope shrunk as Gaster opened her cell up, yanking her to her feet. "Come with me."

 

"What are you gonna do today?" Hope asked as he took her along. She blinked as she was dragged past the cell for a change. _I can see them!_ She turned her head and blinked. Inside the cell, two sets of eyes looked back at her, belonging to two, young skeleton monsters. _They look...like Uncle Pappy and Sans!_ She felt her heart clench a little at the sight of them sitting in their cell, the smaller standing up.

 

"Are you a girl?" He asked as Hope stopped briefly, looking into his eyes. She nodded and smiled. "What's a girl?"

 

"....Me!" Her soul turned blue and she was yanked harshly down the hall, the smaller skeleton watching her go. He forced her into a large room, making her shift anxiously. "Wh-what are we doing here?"

 

"Today I want to see you Fight."

 

"....Huh?" _Fight? No...no I don't wanna...._ She heard something in the corner of the room and jumped. "Wh-what's that?!"

 

"Doesn't matter. Attack it." Hope frowned and backed further away from the small, shaking cage.

 

"No....no. I don't wanna!" Hope trembled where she stood, wringing her hands and holding them closer to her chest. "I don't wanna hurt it!"

 

"You will do it." 

 

"No!" Hope covered her ears and shook her head hard, stepping back further.

 

"You're a human! All you ever want to do is Fight! So Fight it!"

 

"No! I don't wanna Fight anything!" Hope shouted back. Gaster narrowed his eyes and lifted her up to his level, his face furious and eyes glowing with anger. "No...I don't wanna.....hurt anything....it isn't nice...."

 

"Nice?" His voice was low and Hope curled up, shivering. "Do you think your kind was 'nice' to the rest of us?! Shoving us down here?!"

 

"N-No but-" He threw her down to the ground and she screamed in pain, laying there and holding her shoulder. "P-Please....don't make me....I don't....don't want to.....hurt anyone...."

 

"You will not have a choice." He growled and sighed, rubbing his forehead. He got down from the room he had been in, grabbing Hope roughly by her arm and dragging her to another cell, this one across from the two skeletons. "You will see eventually." He walked off, leaving hope to curl up and hold her bruising shoulder.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

2-P watched the human curl up and whine, their body trembling from the pain. "Brother? Do you think that's the voice we were hearing?"

 

"I know it is. They said they were a .....a 'girl'." 1-S scowled a little. "It says that humans come in two genders, male and female.....I suppose that makes them a 'girl'?"

 

"Maybe, should we ask? Besides, they seem like they're hurting real bad." He turned and sat cross legged in front of the door. "Hey, are you ok?" They turned, the red eye peeking from behind her arms. "Are you?"

 

"...Hurts....but ok...." The voice was shaking and S-1 tilted his head. "Really...hurts...."

 

"Can we see?" They watched as they turned slowly, pulling the sleeve of their gown down, showing a large, big purple spot. "What's that?"

 

"...Bruise.....skin."

 

"A bruise? Is it a kinda cut?" The human blinked and nodded. "It looks like it hurts." Another shaky nod had 2-P glance at his brother anxiously. "Umm....you said you're a 'girl', right?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Then.....are you like us? A 'he'?" The human giggled and both brothers gave her a confused look.

 

"No.....she.....her.....not he....him...." They watched as the girl took her finger and began to write in the empty air.

 

"What are they doing?"

 

"Hold on." 1-S squinted his eyes slightly as he watched. " 'I am not a he or him...I am a she or her.'" He chuckled. "She's writing in the air so we can understand her!" He chuckled a little. "Kinda clever there. So I suppose humans aren't dumb at least." He watched as she crossed her arms and he smirked. "Kidding. So...what do we call you?" She blinked and smiled.

 

"Hope." Both brothers looked at one another and she giggled, saying it again. "Hope."

 

"Hope?" She perked up as they spoke and nodded. "What an odd name." She huffed and her cheeks puffed out a bit, irritated. "Sorry! We've never heard of a name like that before, that's all."

 

"Then again, we've never met a 'human' before, or a 'girl' either." 1-S added. "So maybe....the name thing is normal?" She shook her head and began to draw slowly in the air.

"What.... 'What are our names?'"

 

"Oh that's super easy! I'm Brother and he's Brother!" Hope laughed and both brothers looked at one another, confused.

 

"Those.....not names!" Hope kept laughing. "That's...what....are."

 

"That's....what we are you said?" 1-S asked and Hope nodded, then began writing in the air again. "Well fine, you come up with something, genius." Hope was about to say something when the lights went out. She sighed and leaned against the wall, curling up. "Hey...."

 

"Hm?" She looked up and 1-S looked up and down the hall before continuing. "What....want?"

 

"....What was that red glow?" Hope blinked and sat back up. "Sometimes me and my brother could see a low, red glow coming from down the hall. Was that you?"

 

"Oh!" Hope scooted closer to the field and focused on her chest. S-1 watched with wide eyes when a soft, torn red heart floated serenely in front of her, giving the whole room a dull red glow. "Soul...."

 

"Soul." Hope seemed to perk up a bit and it took 1-S a moment to realize he had said it the same way she had spoken. "Soul." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Yours?"

 

"Yes. Mine." 1-S tried the same thing. "Carefully. Pull....slow."

 

_Pull...slow._ 1-S frowned and tried to repeat what he had seen. He sighed in frustration. "Can't." 

 

"Can." She smiled and wrote in the air.

 

"Feel....don't think about it?" He frowned and grumbled. "Easier said then done." Hope giggled and he scowled at her. "Show off."

 

"Try....tomorrow?" 1-S looked at her as she struggled to stay sitting up. "Sleepy...."

 

"Yeah....alright. Goodnight Hope." He walked over to where his brother lay, sleeping, but not before he heard a small voice.

 

"Night."

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

'We're doing something new today?" Hope asked as Gaster opened her cell.

 

"Yes. I am going to try something." He grabbed her arm and dragged her out, the little girl whimpering as her bruised shoulder throbbed. "And you will do as your told."

 

"I-"

 

"And I do not want to hear talking." Hope shut her mouth and shivered as he sat her down in a chair.  "Now, since you refuse to fight, I must use other methods."

 

"Other meth-mmph?!" Gaster walked over and put a gag around her mouth, making her struggle slightly. "Mmm!!!!"

 

"You really are to noisy." Gaster sighed and placed a few pads on her chest, and one on her arm. "I cannot test the strength of your soul if you will not Fight." He walked over to a machine and turned it on. Hope let out muffled screams behind her gag, jerking slightly as her soul was forced from her body, the small red heart pulsing bright and hard. "Hmm....you have a little power with this amount of force. You see, when threatened, the soul will force a Fight...that is what your soul is attempting to do now."

 

He kept an eye on his monitor as Hope writhed in pain in the chair, her eyes filling with tears. _Hmm, interesting. Though her soul is trying hard to 'Defend' her, it is not strong enough._ He wrote on his clipboard and shut the machine off. Hope panted in the chair, her body quivering. "What I did was force magic against your soul. It was most likely what humans would compare to 'electrocution'." He walked over and undid the gag, the corners of Hope's mouth raw from the screaming. She shrunk from him when he undid the straps around her arms and legs, sobbing quietly.

 

He lifted her up with blue magic, looking into her frightened eyes. "Perhaps now you understand. You are mine down here...3-H." Hope sobbed and looked away from him, her body still twitching slightly. He took Hope back to her cell, nearly throwing her in there and walking away.

 

"Hope?" Hope slowly looked up, her body still making the occasional twitch. "Are you ok?" 2-P watched as she moved carefully, struggling to sit up but her arms wobbled and they gave out. "Hope!" 1-S stirred from his sleep as the lights went out, seeing hos brother at the cell entrance.

 

"What is it?" He sees Hope struggling and he walks over. "Is she-"

 

"She can't get up! Is-"

 

"...Ok..." Both brothers turned and saw her looking at them, giving them a weak, shaky smile. "Ok.....just tired......sleep....it'll go....." 2-P and his smaller brother gave her worried glances but nodded. "Promise.....night...."

 

"Yeah....good night...." 1-S stood and walked back over, looking at his brother. "What do you think he did? Was it different than what he did to us?"

 

"I don't know brother." He said softly. "But...maybe she's right! I'm sure shell be ok when the lights come back on!"

 

"...Yeah..."

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_**Message number *redacted*** _

 

_**3-H's soul is indeed as weak as it appears. After some magic was forced against it, it appeared, sure, but it did not initiate a Fight. I am beginning to wonder if she simply cannot Fight, rather than just outright refusing. The refusal of 2-P, and the weakness of 1-S combined in a way. It is a big inconvenience.** _

 

_**As for the other subjects, they are getting more and more curious of their new cell mate. They have been attempting to communicate with her, with mixed results. As she can understand them entirely, they can only understand her when she speaks slowly and one word at a time. 2-P is far too trusting, however 1-S seems more wary of her, or suspicious.** _

 

_**This could prove useful. But I will wait for awhile yet.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor little girl DX I did put a tag for torture, did I? I hope so....best to check. It only gets worse from here on out....


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little time getting to know one another and speaking lessons! Also Gaster learning about Hope's ailment, and a new power from our little human girl arises...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are some spoilers here for LostTale. You have been warned~... *wiggles fingers with a spooky voice*

Chapter 4

 

 

Hope stirred sleepily as she heard a soft clank on the floor. She looked up to see a plate of food resting nearby and she walked over slowly, picking it up and eating it. _Still a little bland....but....too hungry...._

 

"You're oddly quiet today." Gaster wrote on his clipboard as he watched her eat. She curled up a little as she looked at him, her body trembling. "Must still be recovering from-"

 

"Are....are you....gonna hurt them too?" Hope asked quietly as she ate, her fearful eyes glancing at Gaster. "You...you should....be nice....."

 

"....." He ignored her and kept writing on his clipboard. "Your body should have full recovered by now..." He muttered when a soft cough came from Hope. He looked at her as she clutched her chest, whimpering in pain. "Why hasn't it?" Hope remained quiet, curled in a fetal position as she rubbed her arms for warmth. "...You will not tell me?"

 

".....My Uncle told me never to tell strangers." Hope said, chewing the inside of her cheek. "So...I won't..." Annoyance flashed in Gaster's eyes as he opened the cell and grabbed Hope by her arm. "No! Let me go! Let me go!!!!" Her soul was seized by blue magic and she screamed in pain. Gaster stopped and released her as she gripped her chest in pain. The small red heart, now blue from his magic, looked as if it were tearing even more. She sobbed in pain as she looked at him and he frowned.

 

"What is happening? Your Soul seems to be deteriorating..." He muttered and grabbed her again by the arm, forcing her to her bare feet and dragged her to the chair she had been in just a few days prior. He looked at the human as she curled up tightly in the chair, whimpering. "Show me your Soul." Hope nodded and brought her Soul forth, Gaster leaning in to examine it. _Hmm...it's almost like leaves falling off a tree...it is far more unstable than I previously thought...._ "How are you even alive?"

 

"M-My...My Uncle...would give me medicine..." She whispered through her sobs, coughing. "He called it a DT Shot." Gaster faltered a bit as Hope spoke softly and she looked at him. "I...I haven't had one in awhile...s-so...."

 

"Did you have any of it on you?" Hope shook her head and he groaned. _Keeping this subject alive will prove to be very difficult if I cannot make a shot similar to what her Soul requires....and even though keeping a human around is not something I take delight in, she is, so far, a useful subject._ He placed a hand on his chin as he closed his eyes in thought. "Very well then. I will be forced to take a small piece of your Soul in order to gain an understanding of the DT used on you." Hope's eyes widened and she shook her head as Gaster reached for a small pair of tweezers and a glass container. "This will hurt. However, should you survive..." Hope blinked at him and he smiled. "Since you are being cooperative...I will allow you to stay with the other two subjects."

 

"Y-You mean...the nice skeletons?" He watched as her Soul seemed to glow a little brighter and he grinned.

 

_Determined to not be alone.....to live it seems. Good._ He wasted no time in taking the tweezers and gripping her Soul. She screamed in agony as he tore a small, almost crumb sized portion of it and stuck it in the container. It floated inside serenely, glowing with a dull, red light. He turned to see that Hope had passed out, her forehead covered in sweat and her Soul now back inside her chest. _You are a rare specimen indeed...._

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hope slowly woke up to bony hands on her shoulder. "Hey, wake up human!"

 

"M....Mngh...."

 

"C'mon, you need to wake up!"

 

"Brother calm down. He said she just passed out. We do that sometimes too when it hurts a lot."

 

"Y-Yeah but-oh!" Hope slowly opened her eyes to see both skeleton brothers looking at her anxiously. As she moved they backed away into a corner of the room. She sat up and leaned against the wall, looking at the two of them

 

"H....Hello...." She gave a weak wave and a small, worn out smile. Both of the brothers looked at one another before waving back. "How.....long?"

 

"How long were you out?" The shorter one asked and she nodded. "Well....at least a 'day' if that's what you call when the lights go out and come back." Hope frowned and rubbed her chest. "He did something painful....and then just placed you in here. He left us alone this time...." Hope rubbed her arms slightly as the two skeletons observed her carefully.

 

"Are....you ok?"

 

"....Hurts still......but.......k." Hope nodded gently and smiled at them. "Finally....meet you." The three of them looked at one another for a long time before Hope cleared her throat. "I....am happy....to meet you both." They looked at one another before nodding and the room went silent once again. Hope looked at the two brothers and smiled a little before noticing the book. "Book....can I?"

 

"Uh, sure." 1-S pushed it over and she took it, glancing at its pages. "Uh, can you read it?"

 

"....Little." She admits. "Humans....war." She frowned and looked at the two of them. "You....learn about...war?" 1-S remained quiet, looking away with a scowl. "....Sorry..."

 

"For what? Trapping all of monster kind underground?" Hope flinched and he turned away. "Whatever. Guess it doesn't really apply to any of us..."

 

"Brother...." 2-P watched as Hope scooted the book back and proceeded to curl up in a corner of the room. Resting along the wall, she closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep. "Do you not like the human?"

 

"I...I don't know." He mumbled. "That book makes it seem like all humans are evil. That they're cruel, heartless and hate all monsters. But she...doesn't." He narrows his eyes at the book. "He's never shown us books like this until she came here. So right now...I'm more suspicious of him then I am of her."

 

"Well I think Hope is a nice human! If she's going to be staying in our room now, perhaps we could get to know her better? And learn more about humans from her perspective, hmm?" 1-S glanced at the human curled up in the corner and sighed.

 

"Fine...but if she tries anything....we need to protect ourselves, ok?"

 

"I'm certain she will not!"

 

_I wish I could be just as certain..._

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"Hope."

 

"H.....Ho.....p?"

 

"No. Hope" The brothers frowned as Hope repeated her name in her language. "H-o-p-e."

 

"H....ope?" 1-S said slowly. Hope brightened up and he repeated it again. "Hope."

 

"Yes!" Hope clapped and turned to 2-P. 

 

"H...op?" Hope smiled and repeated herself again. "Ho...pe?"

 

"Yes!" She reached out to hug them but when they flinched she frowned and held her arms to herself instead. "Good....good...work." 2-P frowned as she withdrew slightly.

"Monster."

 

"M...Mon...ster?" 1-S repeated slightly and Hope nodded. 2-S said it easier as well and Hope brightened up again. Gaster arrived at the entrance of the cell and walked over to 1-S. "Fine." He looked at Hope and narrowed his eyes a little as he was forced to follow the scientist. Hope watched them go and drew small circles in the floor with her finger.

 

"Umm...." She looked up as he spoke, wringing his hands anxiously. "So....uhhh...."

 

"You...ok?" Hope asked, tilting her head.

 

"Yes! I'm fine. Just....are you?" Hope looked down. "Well you had your arms out....did you want a hug?" Hope blinked and curled up a bit tighter.

 

"Cold and....alone." She mumbled. "I want...home." 2-P looked at her as she shivered, her hands grabbing her feet as she tried to curl up tighter. "This place....lonely....sad...."She whispered and 2-P watched as tears slowly began to fall down her cheeks. "I....I wanna go home.....to Uncle...to Mama.....Sans.....Uncle Papyrus......" She buried her face in her hands and began to cry louder. She was unaware of 2-P moving closer and when arms encircled her she gasped. "H-Huh?"

 

"It's ok Hope!" 2-P smiled. "You have me and my brother here! I know he seems nervous around you, but....I know you're nice! And I'm sure some day, we'll all leave here!" Hope turned to him and smiled slightly, wiping her tears away with a shaking hand. "So don't cry, ok?"

 

"Thank....you." She said and smiled again. She looked up when Gaster came back with 1-S and she moved away from 2-P. Gaster walked to the taller skeleton and without a word, the two left the cell. "Umm....are you ok?"

 

"...." The shorter skeleton looked at the floor and sighed. "I don't know what to think." He admitted. Hope sat next to him and looked down at his hand. She gestured to it and he frowned. "That's....a hand plate. He uses them to keep track of us....no matter where we are."

 

"Did...it hurt?"

 

"Yeah.....it hurt a lot." He looked down at his hand and scowled. "He did this to us. We're nothing more than things to him." Hope took a hand and covered the plate, feeling it's cold metal in her palm.

 

"Not...to me. To each other." She said slowly. "You...are a brother and...a friend."

 

"Friend?"

 

"Yes. You...." She gestured to him. "Me...." Then slowly to herself. "Friends." She looked down at 1-S's arm and frowned. "You....hurt?"

 

"Huh?" He glanced to see the bandage on his arm and sighed. "Yeah, but that's normal for us. Usually my brother gets worse...." The little girl watched as the small skeleton formed a fist, his eye sockets going dark. "Because I'm too frail...I can't-" Hope took his arm and looked it over. "Hey what are you-"

 

"I....take it.....the hurt." 1-S raised a bone brow as Hope slowly undid the bandage. She frowned at the large scar and held her hand out. 1-S watched in shock as Hope's hair began to glow in the dim cell, along with her hand. "Take...it away." The skeleton watched as the scar and pain slowly seemed to fade away in the golden light covering his arm. After a few moments the glow died away and Hope slumped back against the wall. "There. Is it gone?" 1-S looked down at his arm and his eyes shrunk slightly in his sockets. There wasn't even a trace of a scratch left on his arm.

 

"H...How....how did-"

 

"I took the hurt away." He turned to Hope as she held her right arm. "But...don't say anything to him ok?"

 

"What in the world did you do?!" He asked, backing away slightly. "You...you just....." Hope whimpered and curled up tightly. The small skeleton took a deep breath and waited a few moments before continuing. "What did you do?"

 

"I took your hurt away." She repeated. "Well...Uncle calls it healing but...." She shifted her arm around, showing the now large scar running down her pale skin. "I took it." 1-S looked at the injury, his brows knitted together.

 

_It's....exactly the same...._ He thought. _Wait a second..._ "I can understand you." Hope gave him a confused look. "I understand you....completely. You're just talking....same here." Hope's eyes widened and she covered her mouth and began to shake. "What's wrong?"

 

"Oh no....I did it again...Uncle I...I'm sorry...." 1-S felt even more confused when Hope moved closer. "Quick...your Soul. I need to see it!"

 

"Uhh, sure." He tugged it out carefully and blinked. A small, blue string wrapped carefully around it and seemed to float towards Hope. "What's this?" Hope shivered and shook her head. "Hope-"

 

"I'm sorry....don't tell him. Please don't tell him...." She repeated, covering her ears and shaking harder. "I...I didn't mean it...."

 

"What is it? What happened? Hope, listen!" He grabbed her shoulders and she looked at him, tears streaking down her face. "What. Happened?"

 

"Wh-When my Soul....is badly hurt...and I heal someone...." She shifted anxiously. "It...Bonds to them."

 

"Bonds? Is that why I can understand you?" Hope nodded and looked away. "Can you undo it?"

 

"No....and....I don't even know how it happens....it just does." She whispered. "I'm so sorry....." Hope curled up into a small ball and 1-S looked at his Soul again.

 

_What's...going on here? Who is she?_

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_**Entry Number: *redacted*** _

 

_**This human....is very unique. A Soul constantly falling apart....and yet she is still alive. I do not know if it's Determination keeping her here....or something else. Regardless the small portion of her Soul I managed to take may assist me in finding some way of freeing us all.** _

 

_**As for the other subjects, they reacted in a predictable manner when I put her inside their cell. The foreign being is safe at a distance, and now they are not sure. 2-P is more willing to get close to her, but 1-S seems cautious, but that is normal for them as well.** _

 

_**She has been trying to teach them how to understand her, and even this is normal. A desire to communicate and find comfort in others. Perhaps...I can use this. After all, the best results tend to happen when the subjects are pushed to their limits. This goes for humans as well...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Allow me to explain Hope's ability, for those that haven't read LostTale. Hope has the power to take the injury of anyone she touches, when she wants to. However, in turn, she gains that injury. It heals after a few hours, but if she heals a broken leg, her own leg will be broken as well. 
> 
> Her Bond power is also unique to her. It's her Soul's instinctive way of keeping itself alive. Since she hasn't taken the shot yet, it's in need of help, so it bonded itself to 1-S, and this string will help keep her stabile for a time. That's why 1-S can understand her perfectly now. 
> 
> Gaster hasn't discovered these powers........yet.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Hope's powers get found out...and Gaster reminds her that she can no longer escape.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This....was tough to write. I love my little human girl....but it needed to be done.

Chapter 5

 

"So, you said you're from 'another place'." 1-S asked.

 

"Uh-huh." Hope nodded as the three sat there in their shared cell. Although there was still a distance between them, their bodies were slightly more relaxed. "From above, but not the same above."

 

"That's just...confusing." 1-S scratched at his head as his brother sat nearby, messing with the colored cube.

 

"Uncle told me it's called an...an uh.....'alternate ruleality'."

 

"You mean reality?"

 

"Yeah!" Hope smiled and turned to 2-P. "Puzzles?" She asked slowly.

 

"I love this cube." He smiled as he showed it to her. "Wanna try? See if you can make X's with it!" Hope beamed and took it, fiddling around with it. "I know you're supposed to match the colors, but I think it's cooler, don't you?"

 

"Hee hee....you're almost like my other Uncle!" She gave up after a few tries and handed it back. "Oh! Uhh....so umm...." Hope shifted a bit anxiously. "Do...do you want names?" Both brothers looked at one another before looking back at her. "Names. Mine is Hope....and you both can't keep calling each other brother all the time."

 

"Well he calls us 1-S and 2-P." The shorter skeleton shrugged. Hope made a face and both of them chuckled.

 

"Icky, no!" She huffed. "Umm...." She turned to 2-P and smiled. "Pap!" She pointed to him and he tilted his head. "Name...Pap!"

 

"P...Pap?" Hope nodded and he smiled a bit. "Pap...I like it! It sounds great!" He reached out and engulfed Hope into a large hug, making her squeak in surprise. She laughed softly and hugged him back. "Thank you so much!" He turned to his brother and pushed him forward a bit. "And him? What about him?"

 

"Umm..." Hope looked at him, and for a small moment, a memory of Sans filled her thoughts and she smiled. "San." Paps looked at his brother, who simply stared at her. "Is....Is San good?"

 

_I......._ He looked down at his plated hand, eyes dark in his sockets. _It's hard to explain....how I feel about it. We've been called things and 1-S and 2-P ever since we were created....to be called something else..._ He looked back at Hope, her red and blue eyes eager for his answer. _And by_ someone _else....where a 'name' has meaning...._ "Yeah. I like it." Hope sat there, shifting a bit anxiously. Slowly, San reached out and gave her a small hug. Hope didn't move for a moment, but as she slowly raised her arms to hug him, he tightened it, small tears in his sockets.

 

"Brother?"

 

"San?"

 

_San....San...._ He repeated his name over and over in his head. We...we have names.... "Thank you...."

 

"I-It's nothing special....I only...based it off of my friend's name...." Hope mumbled, blushing slightly.

 

"Human, your face is all red! Are you overheating?"

 

"H-Huh?! No, I'm not!" Hope covered her face, but San noticed her face and laughed.

 

"What's with the face? Do all humans do that?"

 

"N-No, it's- I....ugh!" Hope puffed her cheeks out, annoyed and the brothers both laughed at her. "It's not funny guys!"

 

"It kinda is." San chuckled.

 

"Yeah!" Pap agreed and Hope crossed her arms. The three continued to laugh and pick on one another, unaware of being watched.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Gaster watched the current feed on his camera's scowling slightly at their conversations. "Giving things names....that seems to be a common thing among both human and monster children it seems." He sighed and turned to the footage from over night. He watched as Hope and San interacted quietly, speaking in hushed tones. _Hmm....the readings showed an odd fluctuation in their cells involving magic...what happened?_

 

He continued to watch as Hope grabbed San's injured arm, looking at it with worry. San struggled for a time before calming down. Gaster's eyes widened as he watched Hope's hair give off a faint, golden glow along with her hands and the cut left on San's arm slowly sealed. "What...impossible. It isn't green. That can't be normal healing magic..." He continued to watch as Hope held her arm close, and he could make out the same exact scar on her arm. "That mark wasn't there when I fed them this morning...."

 

Continuing to watch, he instantly noticed how both San and Hope spoke with ease. _She's speaking normally, and 1-S is speaking in his own way as well.....what did this human do?_ He watched them summon their Souls and he zoomed the footage in. _That also....was not there. That string...._ He frowned and leaned back in his chair, sipping from his mug. He jotted a few notes on his clipboard, and turned back to the present feed, watching as Hope continued to teach Pap how to speak with her better, with San assisting him. _You truly are a rather interesting human specimen, 3-H._ He got up and straightened his lab coat, heading towards their cell. The moment he arrived, the three of them stopped talking and watched him with wary eyes. "2-P, come with me." The taller skeleton child walked out, giving the others a reassuring smile and left them behind. "It seems you three are getting along."

 

"Yes! Hope is a very nice human!" Pap smiled, his eyes briefly flashing green. "She is very kind and patient too! I am slowly learning how to speak like she does! I am a bit jealous that San can understand her so well already."

 

"San?"

 

"Yes! You see, Hope gave-" He shivered when he saw the chair him and his brother had been strapped to in the past. This time though, there was a small, red stain on the arm.

 

"What...what's that?"

 

".....Sit down." He watched as Pap sat down slightly reluctantly, and he turned to look at his tools. He grabbed the saw and closed his eyes. _Now then 3-H....let us see how far your power can stretch...._

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"Pap's been gone awhile...." Hope mumbled nervously, holding the small fluff doll the brothers had made long ago. "I'm worried..."

 

"This isn't abnormal, but I will admit I feel a little...anxious about this." San nodded. The two were sitting next to one another when they heard something fall. Both turned and eyes widened. "Brother?!" Pap's lay on the floor, unconscious as Gaster looked on, clipboard in hand. The young skeleton's bones were littered with cuts and breaks, and his head had a large crack on it. "Brother, wake up!" He ran over and pulled him close, resting his head in his lap. He narrowed his eyes at Gaster. "Why?! What are you doing?!"

 

"Testing something."

 

"How could you?!" Hope stood, her hands clenched. "What did Pap do to you?! Why-"

 

"You only have yourself to blame, 3-H." Hope looked at him, her eyes widening. He turned to San and tilted his head. "Heal him."

 

"I...I'm trying....I....." San's hands glowed faintly with green magic, but only some of the injuries had slightly healed. "I...I can't..." Hope stood there for a few moments, and Gaster gave her a knowing glance. She felt her Soul clench tightly and she staggered back slightly.

 

"You...you.....why....do this?"

 

"As I said.....testing something." Hope looked down at the brothers, San shaking Pap in a feeble attempt to wake him. His one blue eye glowed, showing the tears falling down his cheek. "Well? What will you do human?" Gaster asked. "Stand there? Let him dust? Or.....help take the hurt?" He whispered the last part, making Hope gasp as San continued his chant of Pap's name. 

 

"Help him...." San turned to Hope as she trembled. "Please....please...." Hope felt her Soul twinge and she nodded, falling to her knees. Ignoring the studious eyes of the scientist, Hope held her hands out and both her hands and hair began to glow. 

 

"San...can you help?" She asked. "Otherwise....I....I don't know how long I can...." San nodded and placed a hand over hers. His own skeletal hand began to glow green and he closed his eyes. In the darkness, he could see his brother, laying on the ground before him. Hope was there, but her shadowy image looked fractured and shaking. 

 

_She...she looks so.....broken..._ He thought as he reached for them both. Hope's hands took one of Pap's hands, and he grabbed the other. In his mind's eye, both of them helped him to stand. Pap's eyes slowly opened, and San hugged him, but just as he opened his eyes, Hope had collapsed instead. 

 

"Br....brother?" San looked down to see Pap stir and open his eyes. San held him close, sighing in relief. Hope smiled shakily at the two and Pap turned to her. "Hope? Why are you both so upset?"

 

"Are....are you.....ok?" Hope asked quietly. Pap nodded and San narrowed his eyes slightly at Hope, looking at her. "It...it's ok." Her pale skin was littered with cuts and bruises and her arms trembled as she sat there. "It doesn't....hurt that much. It'll go away soon.....it....it'll....." Hope began to slump forward but blue engulfed her Soul and she was lifted off the ground as both brothers reached for her.

 

"Interesting indeed...." Gaster commented and both brothers turned to him. He pulled Hope out of the cell, leaving her unconscious form to float beside him as he turned the beams back on. "Humans truly are capable of many things...."

 

"Why....why did you do that?!" San asked, blue eye narrowed angrily. "You could have killed him! You-"

 

"Her compassion for the both of you would not have allowed that to happen." Gaster stated. "Do not ever try to keep things from me. I will find out about it." San watched the two leave and he walked backwards, stumbling into his brother. 

 

"San....what happened brother?" San stared at the entrance of their cell, his hands forming a fist. "Brother?"

 

"Pap, how do you feel?" He asked, not turning around.

 

"I feel fine! But...is Hope ok? How did she get so hurt? Did he-"

 

"She healed you." Pap reached out and pulled San into a hug. "I...I couldn't do it on my own....so she.....even with him watching.....and he knew." He turned and hugged Pap close, shaking. "He knew....he did this on purpose...."

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hope stirred to find herself strapped down in a chair. "Ngh...h...huh?"

 

"It seems you have recovered." She turned and her eyes widened to see Gaster standing close to her, looking at her with morbid curiosity. "So that little trick you performed in there...how do you do it?"

 

"...." Hope turned her head, her eyes shining with tears. "....I don't know." She said quietly. "I just...can. Uncle said I was different." She could hear things shifting around on a table nearby, but before she could turn, he had moved and strapped her limbs and head down to the chair. "Wh-what's going on?!"

 

"Let me ask you something, 3-H." He said, his voice flat. He pulled a large machine around, adjusting it slightly. "Do you like the other subjects?"

 

"You mean San and Pap?" She looked down. "Yes....they're nice.....they're my friends....."

 

"Tsk." She looked back up at him as he lowered the device and spun the table around. Hope could see the filthy tile floor below her and her neck and back were exposed to Gaster. "Would you be willing to help them?"

 

"Help? Help how?" She asked, shaking as cold, bone hands moved across her bare skin, and something sharp moved carefully along her shoulders. She winced and watched as his feet as he walked to the other side of her, repeating the process. "I want to help....."

 

"You can relieve them of their burdens a little more if you cooperate. Do as I say from here on out, and you can help them." Hope whimpered and nodded. "Good. Now...stay still. This is going to hurt."

 

"Wh-" A burning sensation pierced her skin and she screamed, her head jerking slightly in reaction. She cried and sobbed as the feeling spread across her entire shoulder area.

When the machine stopped running, hot blood trickled down her back and she trembled. She felt a cloth being dragged along the skin, wincing and gasping as fibers moved against raw, injured flesh. He placed a large bandage on her back and spun the chair back around. He undid the straps and used blue magic to carry her back to the cell. He tossed her in and she landed limply in Pap's arms, his eyes glowing orange almost instantly.

 

"Hope?! Hope are you ok?!" He lowered her down as she trembled and sobbed, San right next to them and his left eye glowing blue at the same time. "What happened? We heard a lot of shouting and..." The lights went out and both brother's eyes illuminated their dark cell. 

 

"Brother, her back." San gestured to the large bandage on her back. Frowning, they carefully removed it as she shivered, clinging to Pap's gown as hard as she could. San's eyes darkened and Pap's held Hope a little closer. 

 

"It'll be ok Hope....we'll heal it ok?" Pap whispered as Hope nodded, curling closer to them both. Pap held his hand over the injury, frowning as he looked at his plated hand. 

 

Carved into Hope's skin was a series of letters and numbers, spelling out something the brothers knew all too well: WDG -3 H.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_**Entry Number :Redacted:** _

 

_**It seems her healing powers are derived directly from her Soul, like normal healing magic. But her Soul is so closely tied to her body, it causes physical harm to her in return. It is almost as if she is.....no. That is simply impossible. Regardless, everything about this human is unique. During the war no human has ever had a Soul like this, or powers. I would almost swear she is a mage of some caliber.** _

 

_**I knew when she arrived that a plate would not suffice. The damage would be to severe and it could hinder any possible experiments. As such, I found a method similar to the plates, by using the same pattern on the other subjects plates and marking her back with it. It has been infused with my magic, same as the plates, so I can track her where ever she goes.** _

 

_**Her attachment to the other two subjects is growing, perhaps out of desperation and pain. This kind of attachment, as I had stated previously, could be detrimental. but it is proving to be a great asset in getting her to obey and remain quiet. I shall continue my work with all three of them from here on.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, zarla told me Hope would most likely not have a hand plate...so then what to do? It was the only thing I could come up with...and poor little girl. I wonder what he'll do now... Also the boys have names! XD Hope is just a little girl, so she went with something simple. At least the brothers like their new names :3


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The brothers and little Hope have a cute bonding moment before Gaster ruins it entirely!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh this chapter was interesting to write XD I'll explain the scene coming up for you.
> 
> When I was really little, me and my cousin did something veeeeery similar to what Hope and the brothers do at the start of this chapter. Keep in mind we were about 4 roflmao So we had no idea what we were doing XD Hope may be 8, but she is very naïve and hasn't had many experiences being around boys, much less boy skeleton monsters. Please keep that in kind when you read it ok?

Chapter 6

 

 

The days felt like a slow crawl as Hope sat in the corner of the cell, knees drawn close to her chest. "Are you ok?" Pap asked, sitting closer. Hope's left leg had gauze wrapped all around it, and one was around her wrist. 

 

"Yeah....just hurts..." Hope whimpered. San walked over and sat in front of her, both brother's looking at one another. 

 

"Hey....what's that in your hair?" Hope looked up and reached behind her head.

 

"This? It's my bow." She took it out and her long, ratty hair fell down. "It keeps my hair up and...helps keep me safe."  She handed it over to Pap and he took it. Twirling the soft fabric around, his eyes widened. 

 

"It's so smooth...." He handed it to San and the smaller skeleton peered at it, feeling the soft, white lace trim and sky blue silk. "See brother?"

 

"I can tell it keeps your hair up but how does it keep you safe?" San asked, giving it back. Hope tied it carefully back in her hair and smiled. 

 

"Mama Tori told me that as long as I have it, it'll protect me." She explained. "But she never told me what it'd protect me from." She hugged herself, shivering slightly. "I...I want....to go home....." San took her hand and Pap wrapped her into a hug. "H-Hey-"

 

"There's no need to mope around!" Pap said with a smile. "I know things don't look good right now, but we can't give up."

 

"Pap's right. I can tell things will change." San agreed, smiling softly and squeezing her hand gently. Hope's eyes welled with tears and she sobbed as both brothers held her in their arms.

 

"I...I know....but....."

 

"No buts!" Pap smiled and Hope nodded. "Ok....so how about you ask us questions?"

 

"Hmm?"

 

"Well, since we can understand one another now, maybe we can get to know one another better now!" Pap explained. "Before he takes one of us next. Sound fair?"

 

"I hate to say it brother, but I don't think we're that exciting to talk about." San chuckled and shook his head. "I mean we've always been down here."

 

"Well that's true...but..." Pap sighed and looked back at Hope. "Then...can we ask you questions?"

 

"Sure." Hope giggled and San smiled.

 

_There it is. Good work bro._ He thought.

 

"So...are all humans like you? Squishy?"

 

"S-Squishy?" Hope blushed a little but nodded. "We all have skin, yes." She smiled. She held her uninjured arm out, allowing the brothers to touch it curiously. "See?" San scowled at the bruises and scars covering her arm. "San? Something wrong?"

 

"Nah, it's nothing...." He shrugged. "Ok...so...." He scratched his head. "Can you glow your eyes like we can?" To show what he meant, his left eye glowed a brilliant blue, Pap's eyes glowing orange. Hope blinked and smiled, but shook her head.

 

"Nope, that's something special for you two and....him." She mumbled the ending of her words, glancing outside the cell. No one was there, but the brothers knew who she meant. "But my hair glows when I heal! You guys know that though...."

 

"True." Pap smiled. "Ok....how could you understand us?"

 

"Oh! My Uncle speaks in....in..... Win Dins sometimes! So he taught me how!"

 

"Win....Dins?" Pap tilted his head. "What's that? Sounds funny."

 

"Win Dins is a type of....uhm.....fort? Foont?" Hope crossed her legs and frowned, trying to remember. 

 

"You mean...font?" San piped in.

 

"Yeah, that's it! You guys speak in the Win Dins font!" She smiled. "It made it super hard to speak back to you....I can't do it very well. But I could understand you at least! I'm a good listener!"

 

"So am I!" Pap's smiled and all three of them laughed. "Guess we're really similar, huh?"

 

"Yeah!" Hope beamed happily. San looked over at the discarded book under the bed, smiling a little.

 

_Yeah...that books really wrong. She's so much nicer than those humans. They must be different humans._

 

"Oh! I do have a question for you both!" Hope giggled. "Are you both really all skeleton under there?" Both brothers raised confused brows and Hope poked their chests gently.

"You know...under these!"

 

"Oh..." San rubbed the back of his head. "W-Well..."

 

"Of course we are!" Pap smiled. He slid out of his gown and puffed his chest out. His soul glowed behind his ribs as he pounded them slightly. "See? All bones!"

 

"Cool!" Both of them turned to San and he sighed.

 

"F-Fine....." San slowly took his off, sitting across from Hope. "There...see? Same here. All bones." Pap chuckled as San almost seemed to pout. "What's funny bro?"

 

"You're acting all...uhh...what's the word?"

 

"Embarrassed?" Hope piped in.

 

"Yeah, that!"

 

"N-No I'm not! Ok, fine!" He stood up and rattled his bones, his soul glowing brightly. "See? All bones too! Bet you can't do that, can ya Hope?"

 

"N-No..." Hope shifted a little, looking at them. "I can't....I have skin." Both brothers looked at her expectantly. "What?"

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Gaster jotted down a few notes as he made his way to the children's cell. He could hear giggling coming from down the hall. _What are they doing?_

 

"Wow, it's squishy!"

 

"You're right bro. It's pretty soft."

 

"St-Stop it guys! T-That tickles!" Gaster stopped just outside the cell, listening in. "N-No! Ahahahahahaha!"

 

"What are y-" He stopped short at the sight that met his eyes. All three of them had taken their gowns off, looking at one another in wonderment. "Do...I even want to know what is happening here?"

 

"We were looking at each other!" Hope piped up, her red and blue eyes shimmering with childish amusement. "They both look so cool! I've never seen a skeleton before!"

 

"And she is very soft and squishy!" Pap added. "It's really weird!"

 

"But I can kinda see ribs, similar to ours..." San said, looking at her again. 

 

"......" Gaster pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "You three will come with me." All three of them stood and Gaster narrowed his eyes. "With your gowns on."

 

"Aww, what's the matter? Do we bug you like this?" San grinned, crossing his arms. 

 

"Now brother, be nice." Pap said, mimicking his brother's movements.

 

"W-Well maybe it's all of our 'buzzing'?" Hope smiled, also mimicking San's movements. Gaster rolled his eyes and looked at them.

 

"Now." All three flinched a bit at his tone and hastily got dressed. He gripped their Souls and they followed quietly, looking at one another. They started giggling over what had happened, but as they neared the end of the hallway, they scooted closer to one another, trembling. "1-S and 3-H, go in there." He gestured to the large, open room. They moved quietly as he took 2-P to the area above them, looking down into the room. "3-H....you told me you refuse to fight."

 

"I won't..." She nodded, her eyes determined, but scared. San could see her shaking as she glared at the scientist, her eyes occasionally darting to Pap. "You can't make me!!!"

 

"True...I suppose in forcing you to Fight, I cannot. You humans are far to determined to be swayed at times." He looked at San and smiled slightly. "So...1-S, I want you to Fight her."

 

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San's eyes widened and he turned to Hope, then to Gaster. "Huh?"

 

"You heard me. I want you to Fight 3-H. Considering her low amount of HP, I doubt you can do significant damage, but I wish to test her endurance against a true Fight."

 

"You can't be serious! I'm not going to Fight her like that!"

 

"You will....or every time you refuse..." Bones encircled his brother and he felt his soul tremble. "I will hurt him in kind."

 

"Bro..."

 

"I'm fine brother!" Pap shouted. "Do not give in! I will be fi-" He was cut off as a bone slammed against his chest, making him flinch. "Don't....please don't...."

 

"Stop it!" Hope shouted, her whole body shaking. "This isn't right! You can't do this!" 

 

"I can and will. I will do what I wish my own things."

 

"They're not things!" Hope stomped her foot, her eyes narrowed defiantly. "They're San and Pap! They're my friends!"

 

_Fr...friends...._ San looked down at the floor as Hope continued to yell in the background. _But....my brother.....if I don't he'll suffer more...._ He gripped his hands tightly. _Because of me....always because of me...._ He looked up at Hope and she turned to him. She staggered a bit, shaking. _I can't....I....I'm....._ He raised a hand up, bones forming around him. 

 

"San, wait-"

 

_I'm sorry...._ He aimed at Hope and she moved out of the way, the bones splintering on the wall. _I don't want to do this....but if I don't Pap will get hurt again...._

 

"Brother, stop!" Pap yelled as Hope kept moving around, her eyes wide with fear as he continued to try and hit her. Gaster simply watched, writing on his clipboard. "You have to make them stop!" Pap begged him. Gaster looked at him with a questioning look.

 

"Would you rather Fight her? Or your brother?" He asked.

 

"No! She doesn't want to Fight, and neither does my brother!"

 

"You are wrong. Your brother has no choice but to Fight."

 

"No, you're wrong! He-"

 

"The bonds of siblings overweigh the supposed bonds of 'friendship' you share with the human." Gaster explained. Hope screamed as a bone scratched her, blood leaking from the scar. "If forced to choose between the two....your brother will always choose you. If killing her meant you would live, he would do it. That devotion you both have is a curse." When Gaster no longer heard the sounds of fighting he turned back to see San standing there, arm still outstretched but shaking. "Is something the matter 1-S?"

 

_She.....is she....leaking?_ He thought, eyes trained on the red liquid slowly sliding down her arm. "Are....are you....ok?" Hope nodded shakily and smiled at him before standing straight.

 

"I...I'm ok." She said softly. "Keep going....or he'll hurt Pap."

 

_Keep going?!_ _What the hell is she thinking?!_ San thought, his left eye flickering slightly in his socket as he turned to Pap and Gaster, and then back to Hope. Her legs and arms were bruised and sweat coated her forehead, her breaths coming in harsh, raspy sounds. _No...I can't. If she keeps this up, she's going to collapse or worse!_ He turned to Gaster, blue eye glowing angrily. "I'm not going to hurt her anymore....but I won't let you hurt my brother either!"

 

"Oh?" Gaster almost sounded amused as he looked down at San. Hope watched the two before he shook his head. "And what makes you think you can protect anything? You already know that you're expendable, 1-S."

 

"No he isn't!"  Hope snapped, her own eyes determined. "You can't say that about any of them!"

 

".....True. Both you _and_ 1-S are expendable." A large blaster suddenly entered the room, its gaping maw open and energy building inside it. "But out of the two of you....he is the weakest." San's eyes widened as it fired, and everything seemed to move slowly. He knew he couldn't dodge it from so close.

 

_Pap....Hope....I'm sorry._ He closed his eyes when he heard footsteps in front of him. He cracked his eye open to see Hope standing there. She grabbed and hugged him, trembling in fear. "Hope! What are-"

 

"I won't let him hurt my friend!" She shouted. Her hair began to glow brightly and suddenly a red dome formed around the two of them. San felt her hold him close, her voice breaking as she screamed. He could feel her heartbeat going at a rapid pace, tears streaming down her cheeks.

 

"Hope, stop it! This is hurting you!"

 

"No! I don't want my friend to die! I don't want anyone to die!" She sobbed. When the blaster finally stopped, her shield cracked and fell apart. She slumped heavily against San, the small skeleton barely able to hold her weight.

 

"Hope? Hope, get up!" San shook her, but she remained unresponsive. "Hope, hey c'mon....you  need to-" His Soul was grabbed and he was forced away from Hope. _No!_ He watched as Gaster walked over to her, kneeling down to examine her.

 

"Stress on her Soul caused her to pass out." He said. He turned to San, and then to Pap. ".....You both will return to your cell-"

 

"No!" Both of them shouted. 

 

"We're not going back there-" Both were lifted high in the air and he narrowed his eyes.

 

"....Very well. One of you can go." He looked between them and grinned. "1-S, you will come with me. 2-P, you will return to your cell." He moved Hope along the wall and allowed San to run over to her. He looked at her, his eye glowing with worry. 

 

"Brother....Hope...." Pap was guided back to their cell, his orange glowing eyes trained on Gaster. "Why do you keep doing this?"

 

"I don't need to answer you." He said.

 

"She hasn't hurt us! So why do you hate her so much!" He ignored the young skeleton's words and walked back to the large room. San was holding Hope, trying hard to heal her injuries.

 

"Come." He lifted Hope carefully into his arms, not wanting to damage her Soul further. San stuck close, keeping his eyes on the two of them. "It seems that even someone as weak as this human girl is still stronger than you." San clenched his fists and looked down, gritting his teeth.

 

_I won't let this happen anymore....I can't!_

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

_**Entry Number: Redacted** _

 

 

_**3-H continues to surprise me and her fellow subjects it seems. Today she formed a protective barrier around herself and 1-S. It was quite powerful, most likely tied to her Determination to protect 1-S, but it only hastened the erosion of her already fragile Soul. Another shot was necessary, I will have to make more soon.** _

 

_**As for 1-S....he is behaving rather oddly, especially when it concerns 3-H. Humans do not care for monsters or things, so why should things care for a human? This is a rather irritating development, but I will continue to monitor it. Who knows what other powers may emerge from 3-H if the others are in danger?** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? It was kinda funny XD Sorry if it upset people at all, but again, keep in mind that they are children. They have no idea that it isn't 'right', except maybe San, who knew it annoyed Gaster XD Hope you liked it!


End file.
